Phalaenopsis orchid plant named &#39;Summertime&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Phalaenopsis  plant named ‘Summertime’ particularly characterized by flowers which are yellow/green, the labellum is yellow with some white; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES OF THE PLANT CLAIMED

Phalaenopsis hybrid

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘Summertime’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant, botanically known as Phalaenopsis of the Orchidaceae family, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Summertime’.

Phalaenopsis comprises a genus of about 55 species of herbaceous perennials many of which, or the hybrids thereof, are suitable for cultivation in the home or greenhouse. Phalaenopsis is predominantly epiphytic or rock-dwelling, and is native to tropical Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and Oceania. The species typically has 2-ranked, fleshy, oblong or elliptic leaves affixed to a short central stem (monopodial growth), which vary in size from 5 to 8 inches to over 2 feet. The leaves may be entirely green or mottled with silver grey.

Phalaenopsis orchids, often referred to as ‘Moth Orchids’ in the horticultural trade, are frequently used to furnish cut flowers for the florist trade or sold as flowering potted-plants for home or interiorscape.

Phalaenopsis produces upright or pendent lateral racemes, often with many showy flowers which open in succession beginning with the lowermost. The flowers possess three sepals and three petals; the lateral ones being alike. The lowermost petal, called the labellum, is three-lobed and is often more brightly-colored than the other flower segments. Flower colors include various shades of pink, white, yellow and red-brown.

Phalaenopsis orchids are typically propagated from seeds. Asexual propagation of Phalaenopsis is often done from off-shoots which frequently arise from the lower bracts of the inflorescence. The resulting plants are detached from the mother plant and may be planted in a suitable substrate.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Summertime’ is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the inventor, Rene Schoone, in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop a new Phalaenopsis cultivar particularly characterized by its attractive and unique colored flowers, economical propagation via tissue culture, rapid growth, and a plant dimension suitable for packaging and shipping to the market.

The new Phalaenopsis ‘Summertime’ originated from a cross made by the inventor in 1999 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands. The female or seed parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘Oxford’, unpatented. The male or pollen parent is the Phalaenopsis cultivar designated ‘amabilis’, unpatented. The new Phalaenopsis ‘Summertime’ was discovered and selected by the inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in 2007 in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new Phalaenopsis cultivar by tissue culture was first performed in November, 2007 in Cieweg 13, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, and has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction. The new cultivar reproduces true to type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be unique characteristics of ‘Summertime’, which in combination distinguish this Phalaenopsis as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. flowers which are yellow/green, the labellum is yellow with some white;

2. plant produces more than one inflorescence;

3. plants may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture;

4. inflorescences are long and sturdy; and

5. relatively short, dark-green foliage.

In comparison with the parental cultivars of ‘Summertime’, the female parent ‘Oxford’ has yellow flowers which are about 10 cm high and the male parent ‘Amabilis’ has white colored flowers which are about 7 cm high, whereas the flowers of ‘Summertime’ are yellow/green and about 6 cm high.

Presently, there is no other commercial cultivar to which ‘Summertime’ can be meaningfully compared.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Phalaenopsis ‘Summertime’ showing the colors as true as is reasonably possible with colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the color of ‘Summertime’.

FIG. 1 shows a side view perspective of a typical flowering plant of ‘Summertime’ in a 12 cm pot, at 16 months of age.

FIG. 2 shows a close-up view of the typical buds and flowers of ‘Summertime’.

FIG. 3 shows a close-up view of the typical leaves of ‘Summertime’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new Phalaenopsis cultivar ‘Summertime’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length without any change in the genotype of the plant.

The aforementioned photographs, together with the following observations, measurements and values describe plants of ‘Summertime’ as grown in a greenhouse in Strengweg, Heemskerk, The Netherlands, under conditions which closely approximate those generally used in commercial practice. Initially, the ideal temperature to grow plants of ‘Summertime’ is 27° C. during the day and at night. Then, during the flowering phase of ‘Summertime’, the ideal growing temperature is 20-22° C. during the day and 18° C. at night. Light levels for growing ‘Summertime’ are a minimum of 5,000 lux and a maximum of 10,000 lux. A balanced fertilizer with level of 200 ppm N, 87 ppm P, 168 ppm K is applied. Duration of growth of ‘Summertime’ from potting size is between 10 and 14 months.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), 2007 edition, except where general colors of ordinary significance are used. Color values were taken under daylight conditions at approximately noon in Zaandammerweg, Assendelft, The Netherlands. The age of the ‘Summertime’ plants described is 12 months after potting.

-   Classification:     -   -   Botanical.—Phalaenopsis hybrid. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female or seed parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘Oxford’, unpatented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Phalaenopsis cultivar designated             ‘amabilis’, unpatented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—tissue culture.         -   Rooting habit and description.—Fleshy; approximately 3 mm-7             mm wide and green in color (RHS 195C and RHS 138A); freely             branching. It takes 12 weeks for plants growing in tissue             culture to initiate roots. -   Plant:     -   -   Size at maturity.—Height: about 59 cm Spread: about 64 cm.         -   Growth habit.—small; dark green leaves and a relatively             normal raceme.         -   Vigor.—moderate.         -   Crop time.—Following asexual propagation, at about 26 weeks             2 leaves appear; at about 30 weeks 3-4 leaves appear; after             a cold treatment of about 4-8 weeks at a temperature of             about 19° C. about 2 peduncles with flowers appear. -   Foliage:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—About 6 to 8 leaves are produced before             flowering.         -   Arrangement and attachment.—half up/horizontal and on two             sides.         -   Overall shape of leaf.—oval, slightly point tip and             asymmetric.         -   Texture (upper & underside).—smooth and leathery.         -   Pubescence.—3 to 4 pairs of leaves.         -   Mature leaf length.—about 11 to 29 cm.         -   Mature leaf width.—about 6 to 9 mm.         -   Mature leaf thickness.—about 2 mm.         -   Mature leaf color.—upper side: green (RHS 137A) Under side:             green (RHS 144A).         -   Leaf base.—acute.         -   Margin.—entire.         -   Venation.—Pattern: parallel Color of midvein: upper side:             green (RHS N137A) under side: yellow/green (RHS N144C). -   Raceme:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—about 1 to 3.         -   Number of flowers per raceme.—about 7 to 17.         -   Length.—about 44 to 62 cm.         -   Diameter.—about 3 to 5 mm.         -   Strength.—strong.         -   Aspect.—upright.         -   Texture.—glabrous and smooth.         -   Color.—RHS 146A.         -   Internode.—Length: about 20 to 31 mm. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—upright to slightly pendant, racemose             inflorescence with bilaterally symmetrical flowers that open             in succession beginning with the lowermost flower.         -   Buds.—Height (from base to tip): about 20 mm Diameter (at             midpoint): about 18 mm Shape: egg-shaped, with a lump on the             side Color: yellow/green (RHS 150B) with a grey/orange haze             (RHS 173A).         -   Flowering time.—For an untreated plant (flowering plant that             has not undergone cold-treatment where the plant grows at a             temperature of 18° C. to 19° C. for about 4 to 8 weeks after             a period of about 30 weeks at a temperature of 25° C.), 2             racemes appear with about 16 to 20 flower buds and flowers             per inflorescence. First flowers can be expected             approximately 4 to 6 months after planting a plant with a             leaf diameter of 3 to 5 cm. Flowers persistent.         -   Flowering longevity.—On the plant: about 4 to 6 months;             lastingness of cut flowers: has not been observed.         -   Fragrance.—no fragrance.         -   Flower.—Rate of opening: Flowers fully opened about 2 to 3             days after petal and sepal separation. Orientation at             opening: slanted upward and outward. Shape: see FIG. 2 Size:             Height: about 46 mm to 69 mm Diameter: about 55 mm to 76 mm             Depth of tube: about 4 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: six petals that are             trimerous, overlapping and arranged in 2 whorls. Petals are             more pronounced than sepals Arrangement: Inner whorl of             petals comprises 3 petals, 2 lateral petals and labellum. 2             lateral petals: Overall shape: broadly ovate, little             triangular Apex: oval with little gap Margin: entire and             weakly undulate Base: broadly ovate Length: about 28 mm to             41 mm Width: about 25 mm to 35 mm Texture: Upper surface:             smooth and satiny Under surface: smooth and satiny Color             (when fully opened): upper side: yellow/green (RHS 154C)             with thin yellow/green veins (RHS 154B). At the bottom some             hazy grey/orange spots (RHS 173C). At the base some white             (RHS NN155B). Under side: yellow/green (RHS 154C). At the             bottom some white (RHS NN 155C). Labellum: Overall shape:             3-lobed with 2 prominent callosities at central junction of             the lateral lobes and base of the midlobe. Lateral lobes of             labellum fold upward about the column; the midlobe extends             forward and is terminated by 2 short filiform appendages at             the apex. Lateral lobes of the labellum are ovate in shape             while the midlobe is triangular with a bump and a rib on it             Margin: entire and weakly undulate Apex: oval Length: about             16 mm Width (not flattened): about 13 mm Texture: Upper and             under surface: smooth and satiny Color (when fully opened):             Midlobe: upper surface: main color is yellow (RHS 12A). In             the center a yellow line (RHS 13A). At the base some             grey/orange spots (RHS N172C). Close to the chirri some             white (RHS NN155C). Under surface: white (RHS NN155D). The             edges are green/yellow (RHS 1A). In between some yellow (RHS             6A). Lateral lobs: upper surface: white (RHS NN155D). The             outer edge is yellow (RHS 12A). At the base a haze of             yellow/orange (RHS 14A) with on top spots and stripes (RHS             59B). Under side: white (RHS NN155D). Outer edge is yellow             (RHS 12A). Chirri: short (about 6 mm) and curly. color:             yellow (RHS 12A) Pestle (Callosities): Length: about 4 mm             Width (not flattened): about 4 mm Color: yellow/orange (RHS             14A) with grey/orange spots (RHS N172A).         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Outer whorl comprises 3 sepals. Overall             shape: elliptical and weakly cupped Margin: entire and             weakly undulate Length: about 33 mm Width: about 29 mm Apex:             lateral: oval with a little point; dorsal: oval with little             gap Texture: Upper and under surface: smooth and satiny             Color (when fully opened): upper surface: main color is             yellow/green (RHS 154C) with small yellow/green veins (RHS             154A). At the bottom of the dorsal sepal hazy spots             grey/orange (RHS 173C). At the lateral sepals the spots (RHS             173B) and at the base some white (RHS NN155D with red/purple             (RHS 65B). Under surface dorsal and lateral: main color is             yellow/green (RHS 150B). At the bottom yellow/green (RHS             150C). At the base a red/purple haze (RHS 65D). -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Arrangement.—The stamens, style and stigmas are fused into a             single, short structure called the column, possessing one             terminal anther with pollen grains united into a pollinia,             which are covered by an anther cap. The stigma is located             under the column behind the pollinia. The ovary is inferior             with three carpels present. The plant has not produced seed.         -   Column.—Length: about 10 mm Diameter: about 5 mm Color:             white (RHS 155C).         -   Pollinia.—Quantity: two Diameter: about 1 mm Color: orange             (RHS 26A).         -   Ovary.—Length: about 2 mm Diameter: about 1.5 mm Color:             white (RHS 155C).         -   Pedicel.—Length: about 20 mm to 31 mm Diameter: about 3 mm             Texture: glabrous and smooth Color: at the base yellow/green             (RHS 145B) and close to flower yellow/green (RHS 154C). -   Disease/pest resistance susceptibility: No specific resistance or     susceptibility observed -   Temperature tolerance: Tolerant to a low temperature of about 15° C.     and to a high temperature about 30° C. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Summertime’, as illustrated and described herein. 